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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26212954">Dreams of Electric Sheep</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/chessinparis/pseuds/chessinparis'>chessinparis</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>X-Men - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops &amp; Cafés, Alternate Universe - Future, Charles Xavier Has a Crush, Charles is a private detective, Erik Is Crushing Harder Than A 12-Year-Old Girl, Erik Logic Is The Best Logic, Erik is a Sweetheart, Erik is an Android, M/M, Protective Erik</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:55:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,925</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26212954</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/chessinparis/pseuds/chessinparis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Detective Charles is investigating a case where the murderers are two androids, and if there's something Charles hates, that's androids. However, with the EL7 working at his favourite coffee shop, things are a bit different.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>61</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dreams of Electric Sheep</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello, darlings. So I did a Coffee Shop AU + Futuristic AU + Private Detective AU (I have no self-control AU) for the AUgust challenge. </p><p>It's a big mess, but I enjoyed writing it, so I hope you enjoy reading it. As always, I adore getting your comments and they always brighten my day so please please please, feel free to leave one &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The EL7 was graceful and efficient like no other.</p><p>The amount of coffee that his human coworker could prepare in thirty minutes, he did in ten. The kind of queue that could drive anyone mad, never caused the slightest sign of stress in him. Collected but always impeccably polite to customers, he moved across the counter with the poise and the care of a craftsman, virtually indistinguishable from humans in looks, but meticulously programmed to perfect his job like no one else could.</p><p>Every once in a while, Charles glanced at him.</p><p><em> Erik, </em>said his nametag, in a smudged, childlike writing. </p><p>Giving androids names was far from being common practice, let alone naming an EL7, a Level 1 android. They were simply addressed by their model and were considered, like every other android, a ‘species’ inferior to humans or mutants. Anthropomorphic servants that imitated life, but that had no soul. </p><p>Charles had always believed that, too. </p><p>Androids got on his nerves more often than not, and he tried to interact with them as little as possible. Perhaps it was because when he read their minds, he found nothing. Perhaps it was because, for him, they were more unpredictable than any human being. And he found it unbearable to know that there were toasters sophisticated enough to trick him into thinking they had feelings.</p><p>But some months ago, when he ordered at that coffee shop for the first time, Charles’ exact words were: “Thank you, Erik.” And he never knew why.  </p><p>At that moment, the EL7, taken by surprise, raised his eyes from the coffee and looked at Charles. “Thank <em>you,</em>” he said, smiled shyly, and then glanced down again.</p><p>After that <em>thank you, Erik, t</em>here were more <em>thank you, Erik</em>sand <em>hi, Erik </em>and <em>hi, Charles, </em>and countless but brief conversations held while Charles ordered. By now it was a habit of his to go into the coffee shop when he needed to think about any case, which he needed fairly often. So, fairly often, Charles and Erik knew a bit more about each other.</p><p>Erik had a very reserved personality, but whenever Charles arrived at the counter, he seemed to light up. He talked about the books he had read, the music he had heard, and about how much he liked old cinema, specially from the 21st century. And when Charles spoke, he listened with veiled fascination.</p><p>Charles tried to reply with a certain skepticism, reminding himself over and over again that he was talking to a machine. While it was not the norm for an android of his level to have<em> that </em>many interests, it was not rare either, as their personalities were always developed to the last detail. </p><p>However, Charles couldn't help but like their little interactions, and the timid but burning spark that crossed Erik's eyes whenever Charles called him by that name, which he did a bit more often lately. And no matter what he told himself, every day he looked forward to ordering his bloody coffee.</p><p>Lost in thought, Charles caught sight of the only physical detail that gave Erik away — the logo on the back of his neck. </p><p>
  <em> Shaw Systems. </em>
</p><p>Charles looked down. It was the same name that appeared on every page of the bunch of files he had on his table. They all contained the details of two seemingly unrelated murder cases committed by two androids, both of them — like Erik — property of Shaw Systems.</p><p>After a couple of minutes looking at the documents, Charles wanted to drown himself in his coffee. He had absolutely nothing. Some very basic information about the victims and the supposed murderers, and the rest, nonsensical theories written during some very dubious moments of clarity. </p><p>It was not easy, he thought, when the entire universe seemed to be against him.</p><p>Emma Frost, head engineer of Shaw Systems, had refused to provide information, stating that the design of their androids was faultless. If they had malfunctioned, she said, it was the owner's responsibility. Besides, she added while showing Charles the way out, she owed no explanation to a third-rate investigator. And thus, Charles' official relationship with the company was sentenced to death.</p><p>To make things even worse, that morning, Logan, his colleague in this case, had decided to step down. “We better not mess with them, Charles,” he told him, sincerely worried. </p><p>He was probably right. Hell, he <em>was </em>right. They were a small agency and Shaw Systems was a monstrous company, carrying on with the case would only lead to more problems. But Charles was already too obsessed with the investigation, too invested in those two murders. And though he could not put a finger on it, he <em>knew</em> that something else laid beneath the surface.</p><p>“Hello, Charles,” a soft voice spoke over his shoulder. </p><p>Charles almost jumped on his seat, startled, and promptly, he hid the documents on the table. Then he glanced up to find Erik's eyes. The android giggled at his reaction. </p><p>“Erik, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize you were here.” </p><p>
  <em> Why the hell did he insist on talking to him as if he was a human being? </em>
</p><p> “Can I…” said Erik, pointing at the chair next to Charles'. He looked around, there were no customers at the moment. </p><p>Charles nodded, and Erik sat down, cautious, like a child at an unknown place. Having him there, so close to him, Charles asked himself if it was really necessary to design an android to be as attractive as Erik. </p><p>For a while, neither of them said a word. Charles' mind instinctively tried to reach out for Erik's, and as always, nothing came out of it. He could only rely on what he could see. </p><p>Erik was acting a bit erratic, making quick movements, examining his surroundings, and looking at Charles like he intended to say something but couldn't find the way.</p><p>It was one of the android's gestures that drew Charles' attention to the synthetic skin on the side of his neck. Part of the tissue had been torn, exposing some of Erik's inner circuits, and there was a small gap that seemed to continue expanding towards his chest, as if someone had ripped something out of him. Charles had enough knowledge on robotics to identify the missing part— the device that connected androids to the Shaw Systems central.</p><p>“Are you... are you okay, Erik?” he asked, just a little concerned. </p><p>That question was enough for the android to start talking. </p><p>“You are Xavier. Charles Xavier,” he said, lowering his voice.</p><p>“That’s me," Charles frowned. He never told him his full name.</p><p>“Detective from the M Agency.”</p><p>Now Charles was fully alert. “How do you —</p><p>“They are following you.” </p><p>Charles was more than used to those kinds of situations, but the concern in Erik's tone made it sound more disturbing. “W-who?” </p><p>Erik gave a quick glance around the room and pointed to an ad on the wall. Then his eyes went back to Charles. "Shaw," he almost whispered.</p><p>Charles wanted to act as the investigator he was, but he was too confused to do so. Erik continued, “You are beginning to appear in the media. They fear you.” </p><p>Fear. The greatest technological empire in the history of humankind <em>and</em> mutantkind was afraid of detective Charles. At any other circumstance, he would have burst into laughter. “This… this is a very minor case, I have no information at all, I'm positive I won't find out much more. I don't think —</p><p>“You are getting into something larger than you think,” the android interrupted him. “Those malfunctioning androids, they did <em>not</em> malfunction, they killed because they were told to do so.”</p><p>“What do you know about that?” Charles asked, bewildered but guided by his investigative instincts.</p><p>“Not much more, everything is wrapped in a veil of secrecy. But the maker is an ambitious man. Right now, he has control over every operative android, and I know him well enough to be certain that he wants to use that power. The company has always been untouchable, but now you’ve become a problem. You are making them very nervous, which means you are getting dangerously close to something." Erik moved one hand across the table and laid it a fraction of an inch away from Charles'. His voice trembled, “You have to be very careful, Charles."</p><p>Charles did not move. The electricity of Erik's body reached him too. He struggled to speak out loud. “Why do <em>y</em><em>ou </em>know so much about this?”</p><p>Erik took a moment before answering. “Because I was commanded to kill you.” </p><p>Charles almost fainted right there. </p><p>Everything around him was spinning, and it took all his concentration to stay conscious. His best option was probably getting out of that place as quickly as possible and running away from the EL7. But he did <em>not </em>have the strength for that, and a part of him was dying to know more.</p><p>“Poisoning you. Getting rid of you as discreetly as possible.” resumed Erik, keeping an eye on Charles to make sure he was fine. “I tried everything, but my program forced me to obey.” He signaled the wounds on his neck. “So I disconnected myself from the central. Now some of my subsystems are malfunctioning, but I'm still working… and you are still alive. My next option was deactivation.”</p><p>Death. That meant deactivation for him. He was saying that he would have died to avoid killing him.</p><p>“However, I may be more useful for you alive,” he gave a hint of a smile. “When they realize I have not accomplished my mission, they will start looking for other ways to eliminate you… But you are very good at this, and I am now the only android that’s not under Shaw’s control, so if you trust me and you want to continue, maybe we can stop him.” </p><p>After that, Erik went silent for a moment. If he was expecting a reply from Charles, he could wait forever. </p><p>But he was not. </p><p>“Whatever you decide, whether you trust me or not, I promise you no one will hurt you as long as I live.” </p><p>Now Charles could barely breathe. </p><p>It was impossible. Impossible for an android to go against a direct order from the central. Impossible that he had chosen to disobey, when an android could not choose, nor disobey. Impossible that he had done it because —</p><p>“Why?” Charles asked.</p><p>This time Erik did not answer. He simply stared into Charles’ eyes. </p><p>It was not a robot's stare, it was just the stare of someone who didn’t know how much eye contact was common between humans. Charles saw himself in those eyes. Same hopes, same needs, same desires. And for the first time, he could almost read an android's mind. Erik didn’t fully understand why he had done what he did, he was confused, too. But he knew that there was, indeed, a reason. And it was a reason powerful enough to neutralize and counter the very purpose he had been designed for. </p><p>“There’s a movie theater across the street, they show old movies,” Charles finally spoke. “If you...” </p><p>Seeing he was unable to end the sentence, Erik smiled tenderly. And it was the most genuinely human reaction Charles had ever seen. “I love old movies.” </p><p>At that moment, a couple of customers entered the shop, and Erik stood up immediately, going back to the counter to do his job as efficiently as always. And for the rest of his shift, they could no longer stop looking at each other.</p>
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